You can't go from obese to ripped in three months. Still, if you have been lifting weights for several months and have begun to build muscle mass, you can start getting ripped in three months through a combination of increased exercise intensity and diet modifications. To develop visible cuts, you must combine high muscle mass with low body fat. Plan to spend at least an hour a day working out to achieve results this quickly.

Step 1

Do three total-body workouts a week if you are a beginning or intermediate lifter. At the advanced level, do three- or four-day split workouts.

Step 2

Step 3

Build muscle mass by lifting heavy weights. Choose weights that are at least 70 percent of your one rep maximum. Lift each weight for eight to 12 repetitions. If you do not reach failure on the last rep, increase the weight by 5 to 10 percent for your next session.

Step 4

Use high-intensity interval training either after lifting or on non-lifting days to reduce body fat.

Step 5

Eat a diet that is low in fat and high in lean protein. Rather than three big meals, consume several smaller meals spaced evenly throughout the day, each including a combination of at least 20 grams of protein and complex carbohydrates.

Step 6

Vary your workouts. For example, rather than doing barbell chest presses every day with a flat bench, rotate among incline, decline and flat presses and switch from dumbbells to barbells so that you never do precisely the same motion during two successive workouts.

About the Author

Carol Poster began writing professionally in 1974. Her articles have appeared in "Outdoor Woman," "Paddler," "Ski Magazine," "Women's Sports & Fitness," "Dance News," "Show Business," "The Athenian," "PC Resource" and "Utah Holiday," among other publications. Poster holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from Eastern Washington University, as well as a Ph.D. in English from the University of Missouri.